Effect of seaweed extracts on the growth and biochemical constituents of Vigna sinensis

Abstract

The effect of seaweed liquid fertilizers (SLF) of Sargassum wightii and Caulerpa chemnitzia on growth and biochemical constituents of Vigna sinensis was studied. The seeds soaked with aqueous extract of seaweeds performed better when compared to the water soaked controls. Hundred per cent germination was recorded both in aqueous extract soaked and water soaked treatments. The low concentration (20%) of aqueous extracts of S. wightii and C. chemnitzia promoted the seedling growth including the parameters of shoot length (15.87, 14.13 cm/seedling), root length (6.42, 5.38 cm/seedling), fresh weight (4.017, 4.012 g/seedling) and dry weight (0.878, 0.865 g/seedling), chlorophyll (1.599, 1.491 mg g −1 fr. wt.), carotenoids (0.899, 0.875 mg g −1 fr. wt.), protein content of shoot (3.956, 3.474 mg g −1 fr. wt.) and root (2.926, 2.890 mg g −1 fr. wt.), amino acid content of shoot (1.447, 1.429 mg g −1 fr. wt.) and root (0.698, 0.680 mg g −1 fr. wt.), reducing sugar content of shoot (6.426, 6.233 mg g −1 fr. wt.) and root (5.118, 5.103 mg g −1 fr. wt.), total sugar content of shoot (11.846, 11.350 mg g −1 fr. wt.) and root (10.368, 10.102 mg g −1 fr. wt.), α-amylase (1.927, 1.819 μg min −1 mg −1 protein) and β-amylase (1.730, 1.617 μg min −1 mg −1 protein) activities in V. sinensis. Among the two seaweeds tested, S. wightii exhibited better responses.